Cedar, Paradise fires controlled at last

NORTH COUNTY -- California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection officials declared both the Cedar fire -- the state's
worst wildfire -- and the Paradise fire, under control as of 6 p.m.
Friday, a fire spokeswoman said.

The large acreage of the fires and dry and windy weather played
a role in keeping the embers lit for more than a month after the
fires began their destruction in San Diego County, CDF spokeswoman
Roxanne Provaznik said.

The control dates were pushed back because of flare-ups within
the burned areas, she said. Crews were kept on the fires until fire
officials were satisfied they would not rekindle or blow into
unburned areas and restart, Provaznik said.

A wildfire is considered fully controlled when there are no
longer any burning, smoldering or smoking tree stumps or
vegetation. Infrared imaging had picked up hot spots in both fires,
said Provaznik.

"We have to be sure," she said.

The Cedar fire killed 14 people, destroyed 2,232 homes and
scorched 273,246 acres in a huge swath through eastern North County
to Interstate 8. The Paradise fire killed two people and burned 221
homes on 56,700 acres in Valley Center and surrounding areas.

Since crews surrounded the fires, there have been three fire
engines and four hand crews patrolling the Cedar fire burn area,
looking for smoke and trying to rehabilitate some areas where rain
could cause erosion, Provaznik said.

An engine and one hand crew were doing similar work with the
Paradise fire burn area, she said.

Yet, firefighters will continue keeping an eye on the areas, she
said. Firefighters will return to their normal fire stations, but
some hand crews will remain to fell trees on public land if they
are dangerous, Provaznik said.

"We're glad it's over. We feel bad for the people who lost their
homes and lost their lives, but the community needs to rebuild
now," she said.

The fires have been all-consuming for some firefighters and it
will be good for them to get back to a routine, Provaznik said.

"It does take its toll, stress-wise. There are probably some
firefighters that want to see their families," she said.

The Cedar fire began Oct. 25 when a lost hunter started a signal
fire in the Cleveland National Forest near the Ramona Country
Estates. The Paradise fire started Oct. 26 on the Paradise Grade
north of Valley Center.

CDF remains at peak staffing "because of past fires and
dangerous conditions that still exist," Provaznik said. This will
continue until weather conditions make is safe to reduce staffing
again, she said.

In past years, when there has been sufficient rainfall in
November and December, staffing had been decreased to one engine
per station, Provaznik said.

"It's all predicated on weather. We'll go as long as we need
to," she said.